Hard
plastic dolls were made for a short period after the
Second World War from a material based on cellulose
acetate. The most prolific doll makers were Pedigree,
Roddy, BND, Palitoy and Rosebud. Many companies tried
different combinations of materials to achieve their
desired effects. They made claims such as indestructable,
not crazing, won't shatter.Unfortunately cellulose
acetate does eventually start to break down and the doll
will start to have a strong vinegary smell and the
plastic starts to look wizened and wrinkly.This is often
described as doll virus.If your doll starts to
deteriorate it will get progressively worse.To my
knowledge there is no way to reverse this deterioration,
once it has started.

Companies often used the moulds from their
pre-war products, so early dolls resembled the pre-war
composition dolls. They would often share moulds in order to
meet production targets which is why there is often a lot of
similarity between different manufacturers.

Most companies marked their dolls on the back
of the neck or body.If dolls were made for specific shops they
were only marked on the box or were given specific names.
They were just marked Made in England.However dolls
can usually be identified from their
features.

The basic manufacturing process consisted of
the plastic material being poured into moulds which had been
design ed by the doll artist and made in two halves. The molten
plastic was then left to solidify ,under heat, for the
time needed to build up the required thickness. The surplus was
then poured off and the remaining layer was heated to cure the
plastic. After curing the mould was cooled with water and the
moulding was removed. The hollow parts were then trimmed, hooks
and other attachments were fixed in place and the two halves
were sealed. They were coloured and painted before eyes
were insertd, wigs applied and the parts strung together. The
fact that parts were inserted before joining halves together
can make problems in replacing them.On some models, for
example, there is no way a voice box can be removed and
replaced without opening up and resealing the
body.

The beauty of collecting these dolls lies in
the fact that most collectors will remember from their own
childhood, there are plenty available so prices aren't high and
they are mostly durable,providing that they have been kept in
the appropriate atmospheric conditions,ie.not dark damp,or in
direct sunlight. They will be around for a long
time.